


Flower Crown

by cajynn



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Armitage Hux - Freeform, Flower Crowns, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, ben is 9 hux is 14 when they meet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-23 18:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7474527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cajynn/pseuds/cajynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are you an angel?” he said, awe struck.<br/>“I beg your pardon?” The older boy regarded Ben curiously.<br/>“An angel. They’re the most beautiful beings in the whole galaxy!”</p><p>An AU in which Ben and Hux meet when they're younger, but when they meet again on the Finalizer they don't recognize each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Come join me on Tumblr and Twitter :)
> 
> Based on the first piece of art in this lovely set: http://lazy-afternooner.tumblr.com/post/147300673646

As a boy, Ben Solo spent most of his free time alone. He’d wander off into the woods and explore. He loved the flowers the most. The vibrant colors popped out at him, and he would collect the prettiest ones to make flower crowns. Ben had his own little collection back at home. His favorites were the blue and purple ones.

One day he found a patch of small yellow flowers. He wasn’t familiar with the species, but they were the most vibrant flowers he’d ever seen. He picked a handful and got to work. The sun shone brightly as he worked. He had lost track of time when he heard rustling. Jumping to his feet, he grabbed his lightsaber, ready to fight off whatever lurked behind the trees.

When an older boy came into view, Ben let his saber fall to his side. The boy’s hair was unlike any color he had ever seen. It gleamed bright orange in the sun. Ben couldn’t look away. “Are you an angel?” he said, awe struck.

“I beg your pardon?” The older boy regarded Ben curiously.

“An angel. They’re the most beautiful beings in the whole galaxy!” Ben’s eyes practically sparkled. The redhead huffed out a small laugh. He didn’t know who this kid was, but he was certainly interesting.

“I’m not an angel. But I see that you are a Jedi.” He gestured to Ben’s lightsaber.

“Yup! One day I’m gonna be awesome Jedi Knight,” he beamed. “So,” Ben continued, “if you’re not an angel, who are you?”

“My name is Armitage.”

“That’s a funny name.” Armitage’s eye twitched and he started to defend himself but Ben spoke again before he could. “My name’s Ben. I really like your hair. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Armitage went to touch his hair but stopped himself. 

Just then, Ben remembered his flower crown. Armitage watched as he sat back down to tie the last few stems together. When he was finished he presented the crown to Armitage, a huge smile plastered on his face. Armitage just stood there and raised an eyebrow at Ben. When Armitage waited too long to say or do anything, Ben’s smile faltered. “What’s the matter? You don’t like it?” Ben’s lower lip started to tremble almost imperceptibly, but Armitage noticed. He panicked. He did not want to deal with a crying child.

“No! No, It’s fine,” he blurted out before the waterworks could start. “I just wasn’t expecting it.” Armitage took the crown from Ben’s hands and studied it. He’d never seen flowers like this before. He was unsure what to do with them

“Put it on!” Ben yelled. Armitage grimaced at the crown. This kid couldn’t be serious, could be? But when he saw Ben looking expectantly at him, he obeyed. The last thing he wanted was for Ben to cry. He felt foolish with the flowers on his head. He was too old for these things. But then he looked at Ben. It was the same look that he gave Armitage when he asked if he was an angel.

“You look like a mighty emperor,” Ben said, mouth agape, and in that moment Armitage thought that maybe the crown wasn’t so childish. Armitage looked up saw that the sun was beginning to set.

“I have to go now. Thank you for the flowers.” Armitage turned to leave but Ben called out.

“Wait!” Armitage turned to look at him. “Will I see you again?”

“Perhaps, Ben.”  


Everyday Ben went to that exact same spot to wait for Armitage. He made flower crowns using red, orange, and yellow flowers, thinking of Armitage and his mesmerizing hair the entire time. Six days went by before he saw Armitage again. He was working on a flower crown with big red amaryllis when Armitage walked up to him. Ben was so excited he ran up to Armitage and hugged him. He peered up at him through his shaggy black hair and exclaimed, “You’re back!”

Armitage looked at him, utterly bewildered. He held his arms out awkwardly as Ben held onto him.  
Armitage desperately hoped he’d be released soon. Finally, Ben let go and tugged at his arm to lead him back to where he was working on his flower crown. Ben sat down and picked up the flowers.

“Do you make these whenever you’re out here,” Armitage asks. 

“Yeah. I have a whole bunch. It’s a lot of fun.” As Ben tied the stems together, he stuck his tongue out in concentration. Armitage had the sudden urge to ruffle his hair. He sat down and picked at the grass instead. When Ben finished, he placed the crown on Armitage’s head and smiled up at him. 

“I must look ridiculous right now. These flowers are huge,” Armitage said. He fiddled with the crown on his head, fixing a frown on his face.

“No way! Red suits you.” Armitage stopped playing with the crown but didn’t respond. They sat there in silence for a while. It wasn’t as awkward as Armitage thought it would be. Eventually, Ben broke the silence and asked, “So what do you want to do when you’re older?” The question took Armitage by surprise.

“What?”

“Ya know, what do you want to do? I’m gonna be a strong Jedi Knight one day. You gotta have something you wanna be or do.”

For a while Armitage didn’t say anything. He just looked up the sky, wondering if he wanted to start revealing any personal information. He decided there wasn’t any harm in telling him. “I’m going to be a general one day.”

“General Armitage. I like the sound of that!” Armitage allowed himself a small smile. “Your name is still funny though.”

After Armitage left, all Ben could think about was the next time he’d see him.  


The next time Armitage found Ben, he had what looked like one hundred flowers spread all around him. 

“Armitage I’m glad you here! Today I’m going to teach you how to make a flower crown.” Ben tugged him toward the giant pile of flowers and they sat down. 

“I don’t think this is necessary. You’re much better suited for this than I am.” Armitage looked at all the flowers, overwhelmed. But Ben wouldn’t take no for an answer. 

“What colors do you want to use?” Ben started grabbing some light purple flowers to start with. Armitage looked around. There were so many to choose from. Eventually he decided to use the pink flowers. He looked at Ben and waited for further instruction. “First you wanna take a few flowers and tie them together like this.” Ben pulled out some wire and started to tie the flowers together. “Now you try.”

Armitage took the wire and tried to copy Ben’s movements. It took him a few tries but when he finally got it he felt a little proud of himself. Next, Ben showed him how to braid the stems together and slowly add more flowers to the crown. Armitage’s hands were clumsy as he braided and tied the flowers together, but he’d be damned if he fell behind.

Once they both tied off their crowns, they sat back to admire their handiwork. Ben’s was beautiful as always. Armitage’s, on the other hand, was all wrong. Flowers were coming loose and there were large gaps in places. He glanced at Ben who was smiling at his crown. 

“It looks great,” he said.

“You don’t have to flatter me. I know it’s awful.” Armitage tried to hide his embarrassment.

“No I mean it! It looks really good.” Ben was beaming. Armitage fought the blush that threatened to take over his face.

“Well I think it needs improvement.” He paused for a moment. “But I suppose if you like it you can have it,” he said, shoving it towards Ben and looking away. 

Ben looked like he might cry. “THANK YOU,” he shouted, nearly toppling Armitage over with the strength of his hug. Armitage tried to pry Ben off of him but he wouldn’t budge. He sighed and resigned himself to it. When Ben seemed satisfied he grabbed the crown he made and put it on Armitage’s head.

They talked for a while and watched the sun set behind the trees. Maybe hanging out with this kid isn’t so bad, Armitage thought as he walked home.  


The next two months went on like this. Every couple of days Armitage would meet Ben in the forest and they’d chat idly. Armitage left the flower crown making to Ben, however. After each visit he’d leave with one atop his head. 

After two months had passed, Armitage stopped coming. After another month, Ben stopped waiting. But he never stopped thinking about Armitage. He thought about his vibrant hair, his interesting accent, and his funny name. But most of all, he wondered if they would ever see each other again.


	2. Chapter 2

Armitage Hux became a general and was assigned to the _Finalizer_ at the age of 30. His joy lasted until he was introduced to Kylo Ren. Supreme Leader Snoke informed Hux that Kylo would be his co-commander. Sharing command wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for Kylo’s temper. Hux’s workload was bad enough without the knight destroying his ship every week. No matter how many times Hux lectured him, it never got through. Kylo would wait until Hux was finished, then he’d walk away without a word.

The other thing about Kylo that bothered him was they way he stared. Whenever they were in the same room, he could feel Kylo’s eyes on him. He had caught him numerous times, but he always looked away and leaves before he can confront him.

One day, Hux managed to corner him. Kylo was rarely at meetings, but for whatever reason, he showed up to this one. It was only a budget meeting, but considering the funds they’ve had to allocate due to Kylo’s outbursts, it seemed fitting that he attend. Kylo and Hux lingered after everyone left. For once, Kylo did not look away. They stared each other down for a few tense moments before Hux broke the silence.

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” The mask betrayed no emotion.

“Stare at me. You did it every time we’re in a room together and it’s unnerving. I demand answers.” 

For a while, Kylo didn’t say anything. Hux was about to berate him but he spoke up. “Your hair.”

Hux rose an eyebrow at him. “My...hair?”

But Kylo rushed out of the room before Hux could say anything else. Kylo Ren was the strangest man he’d ever met.

That night, Hux dreamt about a warm forrest. Flowers of every color could be seen for miles. In the distance, he could make out a small silhouette. He tried to move closer but the figure stayed the same distance away. He tried to call out but his voice failed him. Hux woke up feeling nostalgic, longing for a boy that was probably light years away.

Hux tried his hardest to forget about the boy he met when he was only fourteen. He busied himself with his work, always trying to get ahead of schedule. But the few moments he had to himself, he thought about Ben. He remembered his toothy grin and fluffy black hair.

One night he found himself digging out an old chest. Inside were all of the flower crowns Ben gave him as a child. They were dull and dry now, but Hux preserved them as best he could. He took out the one made of yellow flowers. He remembered how brightly they shined in the summer sun and how brightly Ben had smiled when he put it on. He walked over to his mirror and tentatively placed it on his head.

Ben’s words echoed in his head. _“You look like a mighty emperor!”_

One day, Hux thought, he would rule the entire galaxy. Some foolish part of him wished Ben could be there when he did. He wondered what Ben would say if he saw him wearing a real gold crown. He stared at himself for a while longer before putting the crown and the chest away. There was no use dwelling on the past. Besides, he had a ship to run and that required his full attention.

The next few weeks passed as usual. Kylo still destroyed his ship and stared at him from across the room. Hux ignored him as best he could and focused on his duties. Everything was normal until Hux took out his chest again. He opened it on his desk and admired his collection. He got up to go the refresher and heard a chime at his door. He figured whoever it was could wait just a moment. When he returned to his desk, he saw Kylo standing at his desk, staring at his flower crowns.

Hux rushed over and slammed the chest shut. “Ren! These are my personal quarters. You can’t just barge in here!” Hux was livid. He felt a blush creeping across his face. How dare he come in and violate his privacy like that. No one needed to know about that chest but him. He felt like Kylo had spied on a very intimate part of his life.

Kylo only stood there, staring at Hux, frozen in place. Hux spoke again. “Well? Are you just going to stand there or are you going to tell me why you’re here?” Hux could’ve sworn he saw Kylo’s hand twitch. Kylo practically ran out of the room, leaving Hux feeling angry and violated. 

Kylo’s behavior became even more strange after that incident. He avoided Hux all together. If he had to be in the same room, he stood as far away as possible. If they were forced to speak, he kept their conversations short and curt. But worst of all were the tantrums. Their frequency doubled and so did Hux’s work. Hux didn’t know how much longer he could handle it. He needed to confront Kylo.

Hux commed him, telling Kylo to meet him in his quarters at 20:00. To Hux’s surprise, Kylo showed up. The knight was clearly uncomfortable, but Hux didn’t care about his comfort right now. He needed answers. “Why have you been behaving so strangely around me? From the moment we met you’ve been acting odd and quite frankly it’s distracting and unprofessional.”

Kylo walked up to Hux, leaving only a few inches between them. At this distance, Hux could hear the intake of breath Kylo took. Slowly, Kylo raised his hands towards his helmet. When he took it off, Hux was speechless. There was no way that this disaster of a human being was the sweet little boy he’d met all those years ago. But the proof was staring him right in the face. This face, though much older, was the same.

Kylo searched Hux’s face, looking for a reaction. Hux couldn’t form words if he tried. He just stood there with his mouth hanging open. Kylo broke the silence. “Armitage.” And that’s what did it. Hux grabbed Kylo’s face and kissed him long and hard. He pulled back, hands still on Kylo’s face. They were both panting.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner you absolute idiot,” Hux admonished. He didn’t even wait for an answer before pulling Kylo into another long kiss. 

When they parted, Kylo said, “You kept them.” Hux turned a brilliant red. 

“Yes, I did.” Kylo pulled Hux close and pressed their foreheads together, stroking Hux’s temples with his thumbs.

“I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t you. I knew the moment I saw your hair, but I didn’t know what to do. You were a part of my past that I’ve been trying to forget. But I couldn’t ignore that we both ended up here together. And when I saw the flower crowns, I couldn’t stay silent anymore.” 

A part of Hux had always felt foolish for keeping the crowns. But when he looked up at Kylo, he was wearing that same dopey grin that Ben wore, and Hux thought that maybe it was a good idea after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I might be uploading a nsfw follow up later on so keep an eye out ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! I'd love to hear your critiques and please let me know if you spot any typos I might have missed. Thanks for reading! :)


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